Scars
by Ghost Mana
Summary: Sanosuke's past catches up with him... answers questions like how sano became seikoh-tai why he wears the bandages, etc. R/R!!
1. Chapter One

Disclaimer: I dont own sano or katsu or souzo or rouroni kenshin in general  
  
  
Sanosuke is confronted by his past.  
  
  
  
SCARS  
  
  
  
CHAPTER ONE  
  
Nanashi Sanosuke, as dubbed by his elder half-brother, Domiji Tsutena, was only four when his village was attacked. The village, a small one on the outskirts of Kyoto, was more or less made up of a group of an anti-government nomads who called themselves the Senkioten.  
  
Sano's only family, Tsutena and Tsutena's father Domiji Aliadar, were Senkioten whereas Sano was denied the privilage, seen as no more than an annoying burden.  
  
"Tsutena!" Sano called, "What's goin' on?!"  
  
"Shut-up Nanashi!" Tsutena hissed as he peered out the window.  
  
The door to their small house swung open with a force that almost pulled it off the hinges and a large brawny man entered.  
  
"Tsutena!" Aliadar ordered gruffly, "Come! Join the fight!"  
  
The 12-year-old nodded, "Yes father."  
  
"What's going on?" Sano asked, "Can I fight too?" Aliadar slapped him and then laughed.  
  
"You?! Fight?! Don't be stupid boy! This is the Seioh-Tai we're fighting! Pathetic weak boys like yourself should be put to work in the kitchen like that girly Katsuhiro child. Working with females cooking and cleaning!"  
  
Aliadar left, Tsutena trailing, leaving Sano behind in a mad rage.  
  
"I will not work as a woman! I will be a warrior and stronger than you Domiji Aliadar!"  
  
Sano left the house and went next door, "Eh! Katsu!"  
  
The door opened and a small six-year-old popped his head out, "Hey Sano! We gonna fight?"  
  
"Damn right!"  
  
In mere minutes Katsu appeared back in the doorway with two katanas. He carefully handed one to Sano and the two headed out to fight with the Senkioten; both trying desperately to prove their worth.  
  
"Katsu!" Sano called in the midst of the battlefield, "Look! It's Aliadar!"  
  
Katsu looked into the direction that Sano was thrusting his sword. Sure enough, Aliadar was fighting. The Seikoh-Tai member was swift and graceful in his movements, not to mention much younger than Aliadar. The mop of brown-black hair on his head swayed to and fro and he easily dodged the abrupt and heavy movements of Aliadar's weapon.  
  
"Who is he?" Sano asked, in awe.  
  
"That's the leader of the Seikoh-Tai," Katsu replied, "Sagara Souzo."  
  
"But he's so young!"  
  
By this time, most of the Senkioten had fallen or fled. The only ones left were Aliadar, Katsu and Sano. Tsutena had retreated. A circle of Seikoh-Tai members had gathered around to see the two leaders fight it out. Katsu and Sano dropped to their hands and knees to crawl through the crowd and watch the fight.  
  
"With your blood, spills the beginning of a new and peaceful era!" proclaimed Souzo. He raised his sword and was about to strike Aliadar dead when Sano ran between them.  
  
"Please, noble leader of Seikoh-tai Sagara Souzo," Sano begged on his knees, eyes cast down, "Please don't kill Aliadar! He's the only family I have left!"  
  
Souzo lowered his sword, "And you are?"  
  
"A nobody," Aliadar said, "A brat of whose real parents were killed some years ago."  
  
"A name?" Souzo asked, cocking an eyebrow.  
  
"Sanosuke," Sano replied.  
  
"Nanashi Sanosuke," Aliadar corrected.  
  
"Do not call me that!" Sano yelled at Aliadar.  
  
"How dare you raise your voice at me..." Aliadar said, forgetting about the Seikoh-Tai. Before anybody could stop him, Aliadar had raised a hand and hit Sano with such a force that knocked Sano right off of his feet. He landed in Katsu's arms.  
  
"Do NOT strike children, sir," Souzo said, his voice dripping with venom, "DO NOT."  
  
The circle of Seikoh-tai backed away, fear striking them as them never having witness to their boss with such fury in his eyes.  
  
Katsu stroked Sano's face lightly, a dark bruise already forming on his face.  
  
"That bastard should die," Katsu muttered as Sano stood up.  
  
"But... family..." Sano muttered, absent-mindedly walking closer to Souzo.  
  
"I'm your family Sano," Katsu said, "We're better than him..."  
  
Sanosuke nodded to Katsu then looked up to Souzo, who was gazing down in pure concern.  
  
"Kill him," Katsu muttered, "Spill the bastard's blood."  
  
Souzo nodded. He raised his sword and, just before robbing Aliadar of his life, Aliadar kicked Sano in the stomach, causing the boy to fall forward, unconscious, onto the ground.  
  
Then Souzo became a theif.  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N: not bad eh?? mwahaahaha... chibi sano torture... 


	2. Chapter Two

CHAPTER TWO  
  
  
Sano awoke in a tent. His head and stomach hurt like hell and he was oblivious to where he was. Sano stood and crawled out of the tent.  
  
He was introduced to the cool night air and inky darkness. Three lone figures sat on the ground around a campfire.  
  
"Katsu?" Three heads turned to look at him.  
  
"Sano, come sit," Katsu said.  
  
"Shinta," Souzo said to the other Seikoh-tai, "Can you give us a moment?"  
  
"Hai." Shinta said and left as Sano came up and sat down.  
  
"Sano," Souzo said warmly, "How are you feeling?"  
  
"I'm okay."  
  
"That's good," Katsu said, "You were delirious when we were treating you hand."  
  
"Why? What did I do?"  
  
  
- - - - - FLASHBACK - - - - -  
  
  
Sano lay in the tent as Souzo bandages his hand. Sano awakes from his unconscious state and looks startled as he looks from Souzo to Katsu. He motions for Katsu to come closer and Katsu does so.  
  
"Katsu..." Sano whispers into his ear, "Am I dead?"  
  
"No! Sano, why would you think you are dead?"  
  
"Cause I see an angel."  
  
"An angel?"  
  
"Yeah. Soo beautiful...."  
  
"Where is it?"  
  
"Right there!"  
  
Katsu's eyes widen as he relizes that Sano is pointing to Souzo.  
  
  
- - - - - END FLASHBACK - - - - -   
  
  
  
Before Katsu had the chance to reply, Sano blushed slightly and spoke again.  
  
"The village is destroyed... Katsu... The Senkioten is gone, what'll we do now?"  
  
"I-I don't know..."  
  
Souzo looked between the two sad boys, "You can stay here if you would like, with the Seikoh-Tai... If not, we will take you a village so you at least won't starve to death."  
  
"I'd like to stay with them Sano," Katsu said, "But I don't want to leave you, so it's your choice."  
  
"I'd like to... but..." Sano sighed, clenching his fists, "There are soo many fucking complications!"  
  
Sano stood, leaving them and walking over to the lake.  
  
"What's wrong with him?" Souzo asked Katsu.  
  
"Like he said, Boos Sagara," Katsu replied, as he stood to join Sano, "Complications."  
  
"How much complications can a kid have?" Souzo wondered. A picture flashed through his mind of Aliadar kicking Sano. "Aliadar. It must have something to do with Aliadar..."  
  
"Sano, it's okay... you don't have to show him anything..." Katsu soothed, wrapping his arms around Sano, "You can keep the secret... I promise I won't tell him anything."  
  
"Thankyou Katsu..." Sano gave him a weak smile.  
  
  
~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~  
  
  
Souzo sat on the edge of the lake later that night. The other Seikoh-Tai had long since gone to bed.  
  
"Boss Sagara?" came the voice of Sanosuke.  
  
"Eh?" Souzo turned and spotted Sano, his body bathed in pale moonlight and dull stars twinkling in his eyes. "Something wrong Sanosuke?"  
  
"No... not at all," he replied quickly, "It's just that... there's something I need to show you..."  
  
Souzo nodded slowly.  
  
"After I show you this... if you still want me to be Seikoh-Tai, I'll gladly accept, alright?"  
  
"Alright."  
  
Sanosuke removed his white jacket and dropped it to the ground. Slowly and with shaky hands, he untied the bandage around his stomach and unwound it.  
  
Souzo's eyes went wide as Sano's chest was revealed. A multitude of scars of all sizes covered it. There was a large bruise on him where Aliadar kicked him.  
  
"I'm too weak to be a Seikoh-Tai," Sano said, quietly, "But if you still want, you can have me..."  
  
Souzo said nothing and Sano, letting his head drop, felt tears come pouring over his eyelids and streaming down his face.  
  
"I...." Souzo was at a loss for words, so he reached up and pulled Sano into his tight embrace. "Gomen Sanosuke..." Souzo said, his own tears mixing with Sano's, "Gomen..."  
  
  
  
A/N: more angst... ah but i LOVE sagara souzo...... if anybody knows any stories with souzo in it, please tell me!! 


End file.
